Cleaning apparatus for lubricant containers



y 29, 1934- Jho. EISINGER CLEANING APPARATUS FOR LUBRICANT CONTAINERSFiled May 9, 1

Wlllnlll \m Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED sTA CLEANING APPARATUS FORLUBRICANT CONTAINERS John 0. Eisinger, Whiting, Ind., assignor toStandard Oil Company, Whiting, IndL, a corporation of IndianaApplication May 9,1928, Serial No. 276,422

9 Claims.

My invention relates, more particularly, though not exclusively, to thecleaning of the crank cases of internal combustion engines, moreespecially automobile engines.

.My object is to provide for the effective and expeditious cleaning oflubricant containers by an inexpensive-operation and one requiringrelatively inexpensive equipment.

Referring to the accompanying drawing:-'-

Figure 1 is a view in side elevationof means embodyingniyinventionandsuitable for thepracticing of my method in the cleaning of automobilecrank cases, these means being shown as applied to the outlet of thesump portion, shown in section, of an automobile crank case to becleaned, with the nozzle portion of these means, and through whichagitating fluid is introduced into the sump, shown attached to theadapter portion of said means.

Figure 2"-is a view in side elevation-of the nozzle device shown in Fig.1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a removabel closure for thedrain outlet of the adapter of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in sectional elevation of the structureshown in Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the inner section oftheiadap'ter; and

Figure 6, a plan view of the adapter-section shown in Fig. 5.

In accordance with the preferred manner of practicing my method inconnection with the cleaning of crank cases provided with sumps, as

for example as illustrated at 7 and containing the usual drain plugequipped outlets as represented at 8, I preferably first remove thedrain plug closing the drain opening to permit the used oil to draintherefrom and thereupon apply to the drain outlet an-adapter such asthat represented generally at 9 which is shown as screwed into place inthe drain opening 8.

The adapter 9 is' formed of inner and outer sections 10 and 11,respectively, the section -11 containing anopening 12 extending entirelyvertically therethrough and in which the section 10 is housed in aposition in which this section ex- -tends at its opposite ends beyondthe top and bottom of the section 11, the section 11 containing alateral passage 13 opening at one end into the passage12 and at itsopposite end through a boss 1& formed as a part of the section 11 andprovided with diametrically opposed pins 15 for connection therewith ofthe nozzle hereinafter referred to.

The central adapter section 10 contains a peripheral groove or passage16 communicating with check valve 27 confined between the valve properthe passage 13 and from which extend branch passages 17, shown as fourin number equidistantly spaced about the periphery of the section 10 andextending longitudinally thereof. The upper end of the adapter section10 is provided with radiating lugs 18 along the undersides of which thepassages 17 are continued, as represented at 19. The grooves 17, withtheir substantially horizontal extensions 19, together with the'opposing wall of the passage 12 and the top of the adapter section 11,present passages through which fluidunder pressure is introduced intothe container, as hereinafter described. I

The inner adapter section 10 contains a centrally disposed passage 20extending entirely therethrough, its upper end opening into the crankcase and its lower end being provided with a removable closure 21 shownas having releas able connection with the member 10 through a bayonetslot joint connection comprising diametrically opposed pins 22 on thatportion of the, adapter section 10 which extends below the section 11and diametrically opposed bayonet slots 23 in the annularly flangedportion 24 of the 010- sure 21.

Continuing the description of the preferred manner of practicing mymethod, I apply to the boss portion .14 of the adapter, after havingdrained the used oil from the container, as above stated, the nozzleabove referred to, and represented at 25, shown as provided on thedischarge end of, a flexible tube 26 connected with any suitable sourceof compressed air, the nozzle being provided with an outwardly openingspring 28, shown as a ball, and an apertured disk29 screwed into thebody of the nozzle, the disk being provided with a gasket 30 to seatagainst the'outer end of the boss 14 and make "a tight joint therewithwhen the nozzle is telescoped with this boss and secured thereto as bythe bayonet joint'connection shown as comprising the pins 15 anddiametrically opposed bayonet slots 31 in the outer recessed end of thenozzle.

I then fill the crankcase, to the normal oil level therein, withflushing oil of any suitable kind, such as that commonly used for theflush- 1 ing of crank cases and thereupon operate the engine at moderatespeed for about one minute to circulate the oil in the crank caseand-"the other parts of the lubricating-system supplied therefrom whichwashes out the oil lines and passages thereof.

Followingthis operation, the engine having stopped, I introducecompressed air from the supply thereof above referred to, through thepipe 26 and nozzle 25 into the passage 16 of the adapter from which thecompressed air passes upwardly through the branch passages 1'7 and outthrough the extensions 19 thereof, in a sub stantially horizontaldirection, into the crank case to agitate the flushing oil therein andloosen the particles of solid matter which have settled in the sump.After continuing the supplying of compressed air as above stated forabout one minute, to loosen the solid matter as stated, the operatorremoves the closure 21, while continuing the supplying of the agitatingair to the crank case, to permit the contents of the latter to draintherefrom while subjected to agitation by the air for preventingsettling of solid material from the oil upon the bottom of the sumpduring the draining period.

'After' the crank case has been drained of the flushing oil, the adapteris removed, the stop plug replaced in the drain opening and a freshcharge of lubricating oil introduced into the crank casefor use in theoperation of the engine.

While I have illustrated and described a particular means embodying myinvention and suitable for the practicing of my method and havedescribed a certainsuccession of steps in the practice thereof, I do notwish to be understood as limiting my invention thereto as the meansshown may be variously modified and altered and means other than thoseshown and described'may be utilized in practicing the invention and themethod practiced by varying the described procedure, and in thisconnection it may be stated that, by way of example of certainmodifications of the method, the agitating fluid pressure may beintroduced into the contents of the case through any other openingtherein, as for example the filler opening of the crank case, andfurthermore where the fluid pressure is introduced into the crank casethrough the drain opening therein, the retention of the flushing oilduring the filling of the crank case and the operating of the engine toagitate the flushing oil may be effected by a manually operated valve inthe adapter either with or without the valve in the nozzle.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lubricant container provided in its lower portion with openingsadapted to remain open at the same time and forming an inlet for fluidunder pressure and an outlet through which said container may bedrained, said inlet opening into said container in a substantiallyhorizontal direction and positioned adjacent the inner surface portionwith a central drain opening and an inlet passage for fluid underpressure and surrounding said opening, said inlet passage having a 4. Alubricant container having a'drain open- 7 ing for its contents and aninlet opening for an agitating medium, said inlet opening having itsdischarge end directed away from the drain opening and substantially inline with the inner surface of the wall of the container.

5. An adapter for a lubricant container comprising inner and outersections one within the other, the inner section having a substantiallycentral drain opening therethrough, said inner section having laterallyextended means resting on the outer section, said adapter having aninlet passage for an agitating fluid extending through the outersection, thence between the sections and thence outwardly through .thelaterally extended means.

6. A crank case provided in its lower portion with a central drainopening and a plurality, of

inlet passages for fluid under pressure surroundingsaid opening, saidinlet passages terminating in a plurality of laterally disposed nozzlesadjacent the inner surface of the crank case.

7. A device for use in cleaning a lubricant container comprising anadapter arranged for detachable connection with the bottom of saidcontainer, said adapter having a central opening therethrough fordraining lubricant from the container and being further provided with aplurality of fluid passages surrounding said opening which terminate ina plurality of laterally disposed openings adjacent the inner surface ofthe lubricant container when the adapter is in place thereupon.

8. A device for use in cleaning a lubricant container comprising anadapter arranged to vbe detachably connected with the bottom of saidcontainer, said adapter having a central opening therethrough fordraining lubricant from the container and being further provided 'with aplurality of fluid passages surrounding said central opening whichterminate in a plurality of laterally disposed openings adjacent theinner surface of the lubricant container when the adapter is in placethereupon, and means for passing air into said fluid passages.

9. A device for use in cleaning lubricant containers comprising anadapter arranged to be detachably connected with the bottom of saidcontainer, said adapter having a central opening therethrough fordraining the lubricant from said container and being further providedwith a plurality of fluid passages surrounding said central openingwhich terminate in a plurality of laterally disposed openings adjacentto the inner surface of the lubricant container when the adapter is inplace thereupon, and a common supply chamber for the inlet passages.

